License-plate holder



S. SPITZ.

LICENSE PLATE HOLDER.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. B, 1921- 1,407,896, Patented Feb. 28, 1922.

r i l UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

smear. srrrz, or oaxnann, camroanm, assrenon r0 WILLIARD vnmwoivrunrnnnr am) m w.; summery, BOTH or OAKLAND, camroam' nrclmsn-rmrn 301mmSpecification of Letters Patent. Patented Feb. ,28, 19 22.

.' application filed larch a, 1 21. Serial No. 450,775.

of Oakland, in the county of A ameda'and .State of California, haveinvented certain .new. and useful Improvement in License- Plate Holders,of which the following is a specification.

Automobile license plates .as at present constructed are of very thinflexible material and lack rigidity which permits the same to be mountedin place on the vehicle,

and;when mounted to be free from rattle and vibration.

The recently issued license plates, due to the poor material and thingauge of material used in their construction, when subject to thevibrations of the vehicle and the air currents enerated during themovement of thevehic e, vibrate to such'a-degree as .to create adisagreeable rattle and. noise to the vehicle occupants, andXthe fpresent invention relates to a means for roviding a mounting forreceiving the ve icle. license the plates of this thin inferiorconstruction, whereby the same are ornamented in their a pearance andare held to the vehicle rigidl and free from vibration.

icense plates as universally used are pro vided at certain points intheir surface with attaching apertures for enabling the securing of theplate to the majority of brackets provided on motor vehicles,- and toadapt the frame for universal use, the same is. pro- I vided withapertures registering in the ma-- jority of instances. with'theapertures in the plate enabling the plate to be retained in frame, andthe frame and plate to be mounted on a vehicle.

A further object of this invention is to may be readily removed from t eframe at the expiration of the year and a new plate substituted withinthe same frame.

With the above mentioned and other objects in view, the inventionconsists in the novel construction and combination of parts hereinafterdescribed, illustrated in the accompanying drawings and hinted out inthe claims hereto appended; it being under stood that various changes inthe ferm, proportion, size, and minor details of construction within thescope of. the claims may be resorted to without departing from the theplate spirit or sacrificing anyof the advantages of the invention.

To more fully. comprehend the invention, reference is directed to theaccompanying drawings, wherein- N Fig. l is a view in elevation of thepreferred embodiment of my invention, illustrating a license plate heldwithin the frame and disclosing the means for securing the plate withint e frame, and the means for securing the frame and plate to thevehicle.

Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation of the preferred embodiment of plateand frame mounted at the forward end of a vehicle.

Fig. 3.is an enlarged detailed rear view of the frame and mounting clampemployed at the forward end of the vehicle.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view taken on line 44, Fig. 3. i

Fig. 5 iS.' a view similarto Fig. 3, disclosing the form of clamp andmounting for the frame at the rear of the vehicle.

Fig. 6 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 6--6..Fig. 5.

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view of I front or face wall 2 againstthe rear surface of which is ada ted to contact the peripheral ed e of avehic e license plate 3. The front waor face 2 at its inner corners isformed with the rivet receiving apertures 4 adapted to register withcorresponding apertures in the corners of the plate 3 and which latterapertures are formed therein by the plate manufacturer. The licenseplate is held within the frame at its corner by suitable 'split rivets 5or other securing" means extendi through the o ning 4 and the aligneopenings inthe p ate 3. The spreading of the rivets 5 tightly clamps andretams the license plate 3 against the inner face of the wall or surface2.

Formed integral with the peripheral edge of the front wall 2 of theframe 1 is, a rearwardiy disposed peripheral wall 6 providing affords afinish for the frame 1 and prevents of vehicles, the frame isdetachablyiclamped thereto by the following mechanism.

A clamp base and movable clamp member 9 and 10 are positioned in rear ofeach ear 7.

of the front flat face '11 of the base in contact with the inner surfaceof the license plate 3, Fig. 4. Adjacent cooperating surfaces of themembers 9 and 10, are formed with registering cooperating depressions 12and 13 extending transversely of the members 9 and 10 and longitudinallyof the frame 1 affording. receiving depressions of different diametersfor receiving the rods 8, which on certain machines differ incircumference. The members 9 and 10 are provided with aligned boltreceivingi openings through which is adapted to extend a clamp bolt 14,mounting on its end a clamp nut 15, and the tightening of the nut on thebolt on the reception of a rod within one of the seats 12 or 13 causes atight pressure to be exerted by the front face 11 of the member 10 onthe rear surface of the plate 3, further clampingand retaining the plate3 in contact with the inner face of the front wall 2 of the frame 1between its inner corners, and immediately in rear of the respectiveears 7.

.The particular clamp illustrated in Figs. 2, 3 and 4 is eliminated inattaching the frame with its mounted license plate to the rear of thevehicle. However, a member or base 16 corresponding to the member 9 isemployed, and as in the other clamp, the member 16 is provided with anaperture through which a short clamping bolt 17 extends, said boltextending also through the slotted opening 18 in the supporting bracket19 and the attachment of the securing nut 20 forces the member 16tightly against the rear face of the plate 3 maintaining the 'front faceof the same in contact with the rear. face of the ears 7 and the innersurface of the upper wall 2. In both instances the members 9 and 16facilitate in retaining the late 3 within the frame at pointsintermedlate of the point of attachment of the plate within the frame,that is when the and the rivets serve to prevent the removal of theplate from the frame until it is desired to renew the plate, and alsoafford a means for tightly retaining the front peripheral Surface of theplate 3 in contact with the rear surface of the annular inwardlyprojecting frame front wall 2.

' 1. A vehicle license plate holder comprising an oblong rectangularopen frame adapt-- ed to receive a vehicle license plate, said frameformed with an annular inwardly projecting front wall adapted to overliethe front face of the periphery of said plate, said wall provided at itsinner corners, with apertures for registering with apertures in theplate, a securing means passing through said apertures for retaining theplate in position within the frame, a peripheral wall extendingrearwardly from and integral with the outer edge of said front wall,said peripheral and front walls forming a plate receiving pocket, andmeans for securing the frame to a support.

2. A vehicle license plate holder comprising an oblong rectangular openframe formed in a single piece and the wall thereof being substantiallyL-shaped in cross section providing a pocket for the reception of alicense plate, the face portion at its inner corners being provided withapertures adapted for receiving plate securing means, and means passingthrough the face portion between the corners for securing the frame to"a support and for clamping the plate therein.

3. A vehicle license plate holder comprising an oblong rectangular openframe formed in a single piece, said frame provided with a rearwardlydisposed peripheral wall forming a pocket within which the vehiclelicense plate is inserted from therear of the frame, means extendingthrough the frame and license plate for detachably securing the licenseplate within the frame, a pair of securing members extending through theframe Wall-for detachablysecuring the frame to a support, and a spacermember carried on each of said securing members in" contact with therear of the plate and for engaging with a support, said spacers forcinthe license plate within the frame and aifbrding a rigid connectionbetween the frame and support.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

